Statement: for a working-class challenge to Blair

Submitted by martin on 29 September, 2003 - 8:31

To add your signature to this statement, please email or write to the address below.

We the undersigned believe that with New Labour's shutting-down of the political space that used to exist within the Labour Party, it is urgent for socialists to work to restore channels of independent working-class political representation.
Organised workers should have a voice of our own in politics, independent of the politicians of the wealthy classes.
We want an electoral coalition of the left, but on a working-class basis.
For that reason we find the current proposed basis of the "Respect" coalition unacceptable. We are not sectarians or pedants, but there must be a bottom line. We believe that a viable coalition requires a different basis in three main respects.

1. A working-class stance.
Its platform, policy and programme must be firmly set within the framework of independent working-class representation. That is, independence from other classes, representing the interests and struggles of the working class.
It must insist on trade union membership for its representatives and candidates. It must promote and advocate moves within the trade unions to free their political voice from the influence of the wealthy classes.
It must advocate public ownership, workers' control of productive wealth, and a workers' government. It must stand for workers' MPs on a worker's wage.

2. Democracy.
The policies and programme of the coalition must be decided through a democratic debate among its rank-and-file activists and supporting organisations, with the possibility of amendments and alternatives. The coalition must be pluralist. Its leaders must be accountable.

3. Accountable and trustworthy representatives.
No political platform on paper can have credibility unless its public figures represent it credibly. No coalition can have a credible working-class stance if its figurehead is George Galloway.
George Galloway has stated publicly that £150,000 a year is what he "need[s] to function properly as a leading figure in a part of the British political system" (The Scotsman, 19 May 2003).
His sole live claim to be considered left-wing is the Iraq issue. But precisely on that issue, despite his opposition to the US/UK war, his record is right-wing (close links with the Saddam regime; personal links with Tariq Aziz; activity financed - on Galloway's own story - by the governments of Saudi Arabia and the Emirates and by a businessman well connected to the Baghdad dictatorship).

We commit ourselves to an effort within the socialist and labour movement to get serious and trustworthy working-class electoral challenges to New Labour in place for the 2005 General Election.

Signed ...........................................Name (block caps) ............................................

Union ....................

Phone ....................................

Email ............................................

Address ..........................................

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Please send to Martin Thomas, 67 Grayson House, London EC1V 3SS or martin.thomas@blueyonder.co.uk.

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